The Center for Climate Protection is launching a campaign in support of Assembly Bill 1745, the proposed Clean Car Act for California authored by Assembly member Phil Ting. AB 1745 would allow only new Zero Emissions Vehicles (ZEVs) to register in California starting in 2040. The act would leverage market forces to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution. Transportation is the largest source of California’s greenhouse gas pollution, and therefore represents the largest opportunity for smart climate policy.

The first step in launching the campaign for AB 1745 is polling in selected Assembly Districts to assess constituents’ support for the bill. Although we’ve just begun the polling, preliminary results show that majorities of constituents support the bill.

Regarding the 2040 date for registering only new ZEVs, as called for in California’s proposed AB 1745, the Center for Climate Protection and other organizations argue that a date closer in time, such as 2030, is more in keeping with the scientific imperative for climate, and with countries’ and cities’ recently-made commitments. From another angle, experts such as Tony Seba, whose specialty is disruption, argue that market forces will cause the widespread abandonment of gas and diesel-powered vehicles long before 2040.

Save the date – March 22

We’re holding a public launch and rally in support of AB 1745. All are invited:

As with other big movements that reflect an era’s zeitgeist, AB 1745 builds on other clean car efforts going on locally, statewide, and worldwide. Locally, for example, Sonoma Clean Power just announced the results of their latest round of Drive Evergreen incentives. There are now 565 more electric vehicles in Sonoma County, thanks to Drive Evergreen.

Worldwide, 15 countries representing a total of 3.2 billion people have made commitments to a ZEV-only future or established targets and incentives. Twenty cities as diverse as Paris, Delhi, Cape Town, Auckland, Mexico City, and Seattle pledged to reach zero emission transportation in designated areas by 2030. And major automakers across the globe including Ford, GM, Volvo, and others are dramatically increasing or committing exclusively to ZEV production in the near future.

Not a stand-alone effort

For the Center for Climate Protection, the campaign for AB 1745 is an integral part of our new Climate Action Fellowship program that marries an exponentially-growing body of committed advocates focused on powerful climate policy solutions that unleash market forces to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions. AB 1745 is just such a powerful climate policy.

Last summer we ran a Climate Action Fellowship training course for 16 participants whose feedback about the course was very favorable. For example, 86 percent said the course positively impacted their motivation to take action, and 80 percent said that the course altered their emotions – they feel more urgency, agency, and hope re the climate crisis. We’re offering a second course that begins in February. We’re also pleased to announce that the Wallace Research Foundation has funded us to expand the Climate Action Fellowship to at least three other communities in California in 2018.